Every year, each conference hosts its own media days. This consists of players from each respective team gathering at one location to preview the upcoming season. The SEC is no different, with their media days taking place throughout this week. The Florida Gators and their players offered the country various talking points about their mindset and expectations. After the hot finish last year, the Gators are viewed as a real contender to crash the college football playoff. However, they face another daunting schedule just a year removed from powering through arguably the toughest schedule of all time. If head coach Billy Napier wants to keep his title, they cannot afford to take a step backward. This is a team that showed they can win in the SEC. Now, before we dive into the talking points, it is important to mention who was in attendance for the Gators.
Gators Ready for the Challenges?
In Attendance
Only the best leaders and athletes are chosen by teams as their media day representatives. The Florida Gators opted to send quarterback DJ Lagway, center Jake Slaughter, and defensive lineman Caleb Banks. Two seniors and one sophomore, it is clear these are who the coaches trust to lead this football team. After a year of splitting action, this is now Lagway’s team for the foreseeable future. Dealing with some nagging injuries, he should be ready to go when the season commences. An AP First Team All-American, center Jake Slaughter decided to forgo the NFL Draft and return to college. Viewed as one of the best offensive linemen in the country, he leads one of the best units in the SEC. Finally, defensive linemen Caleb Banks also chose to put his NFL dreams on pause. He could work his way into the first round of the draft if he meets expectations.
Health a Concern?
As mentioned, Lagway has been dealing with a myriad of injuries ever since he broke onto the scene. Fans are well aware of his scary hamstring injury against Georgia, causing him to miss the next week. However, it would appear that he was never fully healthy as the season concluded. Napier confirmed that his quarterback was dealing with copious injuries, and yet he played through them. Already showing off his skillset, a fully healthy Lagway should be a scary sight for the rest of the SEC. The coaches are high on not only his talent, but his ability to lead this offense mentally. When bringing players to media days, teams usually opt to bring only seniors and the occasional junior. Lagway is the first sophomore quarterback Florida has brought since the beloved Tim Tebow. A testament to his abilities, this is his team to lead.
Rising Expectations
Not only are there high expectations on this team, but also the players who took part in SEC Media Days. All three Gators have a high chance of hearing their name called in the first round of the NFL Draft. Balancing both the personal and team expectations will be important for success. Each player at the media days does not seem too intimidated by the moment and approaches it with an air of calmness. With Napier calling this team the most talented team he’s had, it is clear what this team expects. Of course, this is all preseason talk, and this means nothing until the pads come on. However, fans should be excited about what this team has been saying and the potential of this squad. The Gators offered many talking points, now it is time to back them up in August.
Spot the Ball
“Spot the Ball”. This saying has been repeated time and time again by the Gators players. A testament to their tough schedule, they know each week will be a battle. Rather than fearing their opponents, they embrace the competition. They are not dwelling on who they play, instead focusing on themselves. As Lagway said, “They’ve got to play the Florida Gators”. Clearly, this team has fully bought into the mentality that Napier and the rest of the coaching staff have preached. No more feeling intimidated by the bright lights of the SEC or the high expectations. Instead, Florida remains steady, trusting in itself and their abilities.
Final Thoughts
The Florida Gators certainly gave the rest of the country some talking points. Confident in their abilities, they repeated the saying “Spot the Ball”. Last season, the Gators had one of the toughest schedules in college football history. This season, the schedule does not ease up much, with multiple top 25 opponents. However, rather than dwelling on their hard games, the Gators have chosen to embrace the challenge. Led by quarterback DJ Lagway, this team is ready to put the pads on and prove itself. Returning some key veteran talent, this could be the year that the Gators crash the playoffs. Labeling this his “most talented team”, Napier knows his job rides on this season. Anything short of eight wins and we could be seeing someone else leading this program next year. The Gators have talked the talk; now it is time to back it up next month.
Main Image: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
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